Camping at Big Creek

We went camping with a few friend from our coop group this last weekend. It was a lot of fun. Eric was at a golf tournament all weekend so it was just mama and the kids. That was fine, because the kids are very helpful, but we did run into a few problems.

For one, we had to cook all of our meals over the fire, because we forgot the Coleman stove. We also forgot some of the food in the frig at home, so we didn't have the variety that we had planned on. Mama spent SEVERAL hours blowing up an air mattress, because the pump was brought, but not the hose to attach it to the mattress. Ugh...

Despite all that, we had a great time. The big kids took a long hike on Saturday, while the rest of the kids spent almost the whole day in the creek. Mama even got in the creek despite the fact that it was extremely cold!

Someone in our group saw an Elk on Saturday and someone else saw a bear on Sunday.

All of the kids stayed up very late both nights, sitting around the camp fire, roasting marshmallows and talking with their friends. Unfortunately, most of us didn't get much sleep the whole time, so we headed home Sunday in a state of exhaustion.

There are a few more pictures of our camping trip on our Home School On the Go blog if you want to see more.

Kim's Camp

Kim and Chris had a camping spot for 2 weeks this summer, and we went to visit most every day. The kids had so much fun playing around camp: bike riding, swimming, and making new friends, and playing on the play structure.

First Day at the Lake

Britany caught sunfish.

Mitchell getting ready to go out on Chris' new boat.

Ronnie, Britany and Mitchell (left to right) on the new tube behind Chris' boat. Fun!
(Click on the picture to see a bigger version.)

3rd Annual Beach Trip

For the last three years my mom, sister and I have taken all of our kids to the beach over Spring Break. We go to a town south of Myrtle Beach that is quiet and relaxed. We have had so much fun each year, and this year was no exception!

Right across from our house is the playground...

...and on the other side of the playground is the beach.

Gracie, Allison and cousin Grayson.

That's our house on the right, behind Alli.

Kim's Hummer was my "office" while we were there. I couldn't get reliable phone service in the house, so I drove about a 1/4 mile down the road whenever I had scheduled phone calls. I had to giggle at myself - sitting on the phone in the Hummer, my laptop on the console (online with my Verizon card,) looking out at the ocean. What a life!

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139:9-10 (NIV)

I have a few swimming pictures on my other camera that I will add later. Hitting the indoor pool after dinner each night is our routine. Alli and Gracie officially gave up their life jackets this trip! Gracie would have been quite happy to wait a few months more, if not another year, but little sis was showing her up, swimming around like a fish. ;)